The proposed Mentored Patient-Oriented Research Career Development Award would provide Michael D. Martin the opportunity to devote a minimum of 85 percent of his time to preparation toward becoming qualified as an independent clinical researcher. Dr. Martin is a dually trained dentist - epidemiologist on a tenure-track faculty position in the Department of Oral Medicine at the University of Washington's School of Dentistry with an adjunct appointment in the Department of Dental Public Health Sciences. Dr. Martin's focus of interest within epidemiology is on the epidemiology of mercury exposures from dental sources. He conducts clinical research that is of practical significance to dentistry/medicine and has theoretical importance to our understanding of the mechanisms-by which elemental mercury exposures affect the human. Prior projects have examined the risk factors for mercury exposure among dentists; the neurobehavioral effects of mercury among dentists; biomarkers for low-level mercury exposure; the effects of ethanol on mercury absorption in humans, and the relationship between dental metals (i.e., mercury amalgam) and mucosal disease, among others. He is currently participating in related projects including a large clinical trial of the effects of mercury amalgam in children; a study of the neurobehavioral effects of low-level mercury exposure among dentists; further study of biomarkers for mercury exposure, and in this application proposes a five year-plan which includes both didactic as well as practical clinical research training experiences directed toward his research plan involving continued work in the area of epidemiology of mercury exposure from dental sources and carrying it further forward into the area of autoimmune mucosal diseases and their relationship to dental metals. His primary goal is to achieve sufficient training and experience to become an independent researcher.